WMoal

Big Valley BookFest

2010-09-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here's something for authors and readers alike. Author Sunny Frazier gave me this info. Looks like fun.

Big Valley BookFest
The Hanford Mall
1675 W. Lacey Blvd
Inside, right in front of Kohl's which opens that day.
Oct. 2, 9 a.m. for authors to set up, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for public.
Tables provided, no charge to authors.
Authors bring their own cash to make change. They keep all sales.
Sponsored by the Hanford Mall, Kings County Library and Hanford Sentinel.
Info Gail Lucas # (559) 582-0261 ext. 104

Mini-Contest results

2010-09-11T07:35:00.000-07:00

I tanked. It was fun to write, though. I read the winners. Good stories. The easiest way is to write dialogue, but some were narrative. Well done winners.

None of the winners had titles, but mine did. I wonder if I got disqualified for too many words because the title counted against me. I'll keep in the spirit of two word sentences. Oh, well.

Mini-Contest

2010-09-03T03:31:00.000-07:00

On the Premises always has interesting mini-conests. A coulple of days ago I sent off an entry. The story had to be from 10 to 30 words using only two word sentences. Very difficult to write witout sounding stilted. I'm anxoius to see the other entries.

Central California Writers' Conference

2010-04-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

I've been to writers conferences sponsored by this group before and met some high-powered literary people with valuable insights into the publishing world. If you have a chance to go there, it will be worth the effort.

Central California Writers' Conference April 23-24, 2010

The Central Valley Writers’ Workshop has transformed is annual Symposium into a two-day conference. The Central California Writers' Conference will be held April 23rd and 24th at the

Best Western Yosemite Gateway Inn in Oakhurst, California! , fifteen miles from the gates of Yosemite National Park.

Award winning editor and editorial consultant Pat LoBrutto, Literary Agent Alanna Ramirez of the Trident Media Group in New York, Literary Agents and Authors Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen of Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency in San Francisco and international private investigator turned author Steven Gore are scheduled to speak, along with Author Selden Edwards.

For more details, visit centralvalleywriters.com

CVWW 2009 Contest

2009-04-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

CVWW Short Story Contest 2009
(Deadline is June 19, 2009. Details below.)
Prizes include:
• First Place $50.
• Second Place $25.
• Third Place $15.
• Top three winners will receive a line edit.
• Two Honorable Mentions.
• All winners will enjoy free admission to the Central Valley Writers Workshop 2009 Symposium and a certificate of accomplishment.
• All entries will receive judge's comments

The awards will be presented during a ceremony at the Madera Branch of the Madera County Library in California.

The author retains all rights. Works must be original and unpublished, and submitted by the author.

E-mail title page and story (up to 15 pages) as separate files in doc or rtf format to:
cvwwcontest@hotmail.com
Submit check ($10 per entry) and entry form by post to:

Central Valley Writers' Workshop
P. O. Box 503
Chowchilla, CA 93610-0503

The submission must be post marked no later than June 19, 2009. Judges comments and notification to winners will be sent out by July 17, 2009.

These are blind submissions which means name and contact information on the title page only.

The title will also be on the title page as well as the top margin of the pages of the story.

Multiple submissions are acceptable. A separate entry form and fee will be paid for each submission.
• Use standard manuscript format (e.g., double-line spaced, one inch margins, 12-point Courier, or Times New Roman).
• Include title, name, address, e-mail, and approximate word-count on title page.
• Shortened form of title, and page number on top of every subsequent page.
Fee:
$10 entry fee.
Contest Rules
(Failure to abide by the rules will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.)
Entry Package
One entry form per submission is required. (Please check and recheck. An incomplete entry could result in disqualification.)

Story and title page (items #1 and 2#) submitted by e-mail only
1. E-Mail title page with title, author's name, address, e-mail, category, and approximate word-count on title page. Title page will be a separate file from the story.

2. E-Mail up to 15 double-spaced pages of your story. Your name must not appear on the manuscript.

Check and entry form (items #3 and 4#) submitted by snail mail only
3. Entry fee of $10. ( Please make check or money order payable to the Central Valley Writers Workshop. No cash will be accepted.)

4. Entry form (make copy from below).

CVWW Short Story Contest 2009 Entry Form

Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Telephone:
Email:
Entry Title:

ENCLOSED FEE: $10
PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS:
Check or Money Order (Circle one): Made payable to Central Valley Writers Workshop

ENTRANT'S AGREEMENT:
In consideration of the acceptance of my work for entry and review in the CVWW Writing Contest 2009, I hereby submit my fee for entry, and agree to be bound by the Contest rules. I have received a copy of the Contest rules and understand them. I understand that any question regarding the interpretation of the Contest rules and any matters relating to the Contest that are not specifically covered by the Contest rules will be decided solely at the discretion of Contest officials. I understand and agree that my manuscript will be subjectively evaluated. I will hold harmless and indemnify the Central Valley Writers' Workshop and its agents, employees and volunteers for any and all losses, costs and expenses incurred from any dispute arising from my participation in the CVWW Writing Contest 2009. I acknowledge by my signature below that I have read, understood and agreed to be bound by the Contest rules of the CVWW Writing Contest 2009. I understand that my Contest submission will not be accepted without my signature below, and that under no condition, will my entry fee be refunded.
Signature: ___________________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________
(Photocopy this form for multiple entries. Each entry form must have an original signature.)

Michael Mehas to Teach Workshop

2009-03-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

The author/teacher/attorney/movie producer Michael Mehas is holding a weekend workshop at Ventura College in California. The workshop is about creating emotion through character development. I’m in the middle of reading his novel Stolen Boy. He definitely knows character development and how to establish palpable relationships between the characters. Stolen Boy was turned into a movie starring Bruce Willis called Alpha Dog. For more info on his class and other goings on, his website is http://www.michaelmehas.com/home.htm On his blog, he has some pictures from his recent San Joaquin Chapter Sisters in Crime presentation.

New Contest from Central Valley Writers Workshop

2007-02-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

It's time for CVWW Writing Contest 2007 sponsored by Central Valley Writers Workshop. Those who take first place will receive line editing from a top editor of the Madera Tribune. All entrants will receive comments by the judges.

CVWW Writing Contest 2007

NaNoWriMo

2007-01-31T04:48:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot. Last November I participated in National Novel Writing Month NaNoWriMo. Before writing the 50,000 words for the "contest" I had never written more 5,000 words. I don't know yet what I'll do with the novel, but I definitely grew as a writer. I write characters and settings in greater detail than before and my short stories are getting longer. If you're curious here's the link http://www.nanowrimo.org/

Another Literary Success

2007-01-31T04:39:00.000-08:00

The new year is off to a great start. Great Mystery and Suspense Magazine has accepted “Al’s Wife” written under the name W. Moal. It’s a paying, print magazine so I feel like I’m getting further along in my career. They are at http://www.greatmysteryandsuspense.com/

Overdue Update

2006-10-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

I haven’t updated this blog like I should so here’s a mega update. The past twelve months haven’t been bad.

Last October The Dead Bird Society presented me with Best Use of Theme for my story “The Ballad of Honest Luke.”

Two previous stories I’ve had published can found in the morgue at http://www.crimeandsuspense.com/ “Rah Rah” which I wrote under the name Rashid Raza (December 2005 issue), and “The Laughing Monk” which I wrote under the more often used name of William Moal for the January 2006 issue.

I took an honorable mention in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine’s “Mysterious Photograph” contest. The photo was posted in the September 2005 issue, and the results of the contest were published in March 2006. Hopefully I’ll win next time and get my story published.

A tale entitled “Death on a Towel” by William Moal can now be seen on the Mysterical-E E-Zine, and is the first story I’ve written that’s had an illustration. It took third place in their “Beefcake, Babes, and Blood” contest. It can be found at http://www.mystericale.com/index.php?issue=current_issue&body=cover

Before long I’ll post up some of my favorite links.

Hello World

2005-12-17T21:25:00.000-08:00

As writers go, I don't say much. If you think that means I'll have a boring blog, you're probably right. For anybody who's interested I'll post news of my writing career as it developes. An opinion may fall on to this page once in a while, but maybe not. Keep posted to learn more about a writing contest I'm helping to organize.